Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;apennine&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Apennine’, having a flat capitulum, medium vigour and upright growth habit and medium white-green anemone type flowers.

This application claims the benefit of U. S. Provisional Application No.60/669,804, filed Apr. 7, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Apennine’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Apennine’.

‘Apennine’, identified as 14672-0 originated from a cross made in acontrolled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.

The female parent of the new variety is identified as 12748-0 is anundistributed, unpatented seedling and the male parent is the unpatentedvariety known as ‘Le Mans.’ The new variety ‘Apennine’ has beenasexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings, in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Apennine’ is a cut type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a flatcapitulum form and white petal-green cushion anemone type flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Apennine’ are similar to thefemale parent 12748-0 in plant habit and growth rate. However, inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Apennine’ differed from plants of the female parent 12748-0 in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Apennine’ produces white-green anemone type        flowers whereas the female parent 12748-0 produces light pink,        pink anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have larger and shorter        inflorescence than plants of the female parent 12748-0.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have smaller green        foliage than plants of the female parent 12748-0.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Apennine’ are similar to themale parent ‘Le Mans’ in plant habit and growth rate. However, inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Apennine’ differed from plants of the male parent ‘Le Mans’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Apennine’ produces white-green anemone type        flowers whereas the male parent ‘Le Mans’ produces pink-white        anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have larger and taller        inflorescence than plants of the male parent ‘Le Mans’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have a 52 Short Day        response whereas plants of the variety ‘Le Mans’ have a 48 day        response.

Comparison with the Chrysanthemum Variety ‘Effect’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Apennine’ are dissimilar toplants of the unpatented variety ‘Effect’ in plant habit and growthrate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Apennine’ differed from plants of ‘Effect’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Apennine’ produces medium sized white-green        anemone type flowers whereas ‘Effect’ produces large sized        white-green anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have smaller and shorter        inflorescence than plants of ‘Effect’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Apennine’ have lighter and smaller        foliage than plants of ‘Effect’.    -   4. The new variety ‘Apennine’ has a 52 Short Day response        whereas plants of the variety ‘Effect’ have a 56 Short Day        response.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Apennine’ are shown in the accompanying scanned image printedfrom a photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within theusual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering stem of the new variety grown as a cutflower. The plant shown in the illustration is 52 days from the onset ofShort Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Apennine’ isof plants grown in the soil in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom, in the month of February. The cultivar has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype mayvary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a cutflower Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 18° C. to 24° C.during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such asone B9 treatment at about two grams/liter. To produce a commercialproduct, the plants should not be pinched or the center bud removed. Ithas been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 18days with a response time of about 7½ weeks. The new variety is suitablefor growth in a temperature range of 18° C. to 24° C.

The new variety may be produced as a spray. The following description iswith respect to a plant produced as spray Chrysanthemum. In thedescription of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have beentaken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant:    -   -   Plant type.—anemone flower type of cut Chrysanthemum.        -   Habit.—Upright.        -   Height (cm).—80-100.        -   Width (cm).—25-35.        -   Stem.—Length (cm): 75-95 Diameter (cm): 0.6-0.8 Texture:            Smooth, slightly pubescent Color: near 139C.        -   Branching characteristics.—        -   Lateral branches.—Length (cm): 6-11 Diameter (cm): 0.2-0.25            Texture: Smooth, slightly pubescent.        -   Number of breaks from pinch.—Not pinched.        -   Response time.—52 days.        -   Vigor.—Medium.        -   Shelf life.—18 days.        -   Life of blooms.—18 days.        -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed).—None observed            to date.        -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed).—None observed to            date.        -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance            observed).—None observed to date.        -   Growth retardant type and treatment.—1 application of 2            gm/liter B9 @21 days after sticking unrooted cuttings. The            plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20            hours of light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions            (13 hours of dark).        -   Propagation.—Type: Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings            Time to rooting: 12 days with soil temperatures of 22° C.            Rooting habit: After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and            form root primordia. In 12 Long Days, a complete root system            is developed.-   Foliage:    -   -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—28-35.        -   Compound or single.—Single.        -   Arrangement of leaves.—Alternate. Shape of Leaf: Typically 5            lobed Size of Leaf: Width (cm) 4-7 Length (cm): 9-11 Leaf            Apex: Mucronate Base: Asymmetric Attachment: Petioled            Aspect: Slightly undulating Margin: Palmately lobed Surface            characteristics: Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom: Veined,            slightly pubescent.        -   Petiole.—Color: near 137D. Length (cm): 2-3 Diameter (cm):            0.3-0.4 Surface: Smooth, slightly pubescent.        -   Venation.—Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside.            Color: upper side: near 139D under side: near 139D.        -   Color.—Mature Leaf, upper side: near 137A; under side: near            137C Young Leaf, upper side: near 137D; under side: near            137D.-   Flower:    -   -   Flower appearance.—Matte.        -   Flower type.—Anemone.        -   Flower form.—Slightly cupped.        -   Flower shape.—Round.        -   Flowering habit.—Cylindrical.        -   Number of blossoms per branch.—7-11.        -   Typical and observed flowering season.—Year Round.        -   Inflorescence form.—Corymbiform. Depth of fully expanded            blossoms (cm): 1.5-2.0 Diameter of fully expanded blossoms            (cm): 5.5-7.0 Anemone center diameter (cm): 2.5-3.0.        -   Phyllaries.—Number: 28-32 Color: near 137A Length (cm):            0.5-0.8 Width (cm): 0.1-0.3 Texture/Appearance: Dull,            slightly pubescent.        -   Pedicel.—Length (cm): 5.5-11. Diameter (cm): 0.2-0.3 Angle            from stem (degrees): 20-25 Color: near 137C Surface: Smooth,            slightly pubescent Habit: Slightly curving Strength: Strong.        -   Ray florets.—Form/Shape: Straight. Texture/Appearance: Dull,            slightly ridged Number per flower: 22-25 Length (cm):            2.5-3.0 Width (cm): 0.5-0.7 Apex: Round Base: Tubular            Margin: Entire.        -   Disc florets.—Form/Shape: Tubular, dentate ends            Texture/Appearance: Dull, smooth Number per flower: 120-130            Length (cm): 1-1.7; Width (cm): 0.1-0.2 Diameter of disc            (cm): 0.5-0.6.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flower bud (at onset of color).—Length (cm): 1. Diameter            (cm): 1 Form/Shape: Globular.        -   General flower color.—1. Ray florets, upper side: Immature:            near 155B Mature: near 155B Older/Fading: near 155B. 2. Ray            florets, under side: Immature: near 155B Mature: near 155B            Older/Fading: near 155B. 3. Disc florets: Immature: tube            near 150D, tip near 140B Mature: tube near 150D, tip near            140B Older/Fading: tube near 150D, tip near 140B. 6. Bud:            near 137A Flower progression with age: no fading with age.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—present on Ray and Disc florets.        -   Ray florets per individual flower.—Pistillate. Pistil            number: 22-25 observed Stigma color: near 151B Stigma shape:            forked Style color: near 151B Style length (cm): 0.2-0.4.        -   Disc florets per individual flower.—Pistillate. Pistil            number: 120-130 observed Stigma color: near 151B Stigma            shape: Forked Style color: near 151B Style length (cm):            0.2-0.3.        -   Androecium.—Not observed.        -   Fruit and seeds.—None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.